No Ordinary Windy Monday

Members of the LDS church are encouraged to set aside Monday nights as a time to strengthen family ties and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ in their home.

When I had about three months left in this last pregnancy, Family Home Evening was going really well for our family.  To make sure that continued after the baby arrived, I decided to plan our Monday/Family night activities in advance.  I filled a calendar up with topics that I knew our family needed to discuss during Family Home Evening and fun things I wanted to do together as a family as weather/season permitted.  Before I knew it, I had planned our family nights for each Monday through the end of the year.

As a result of planning ahead for this very important night of the week, I gained a testimony that the Lord will guide our efforts as we attempt to follow his admonition to strengthen our families.  

As I was planning my FHEs in July, I decided that I'd really like to fly kites with my kids in September.  Not knowing if we'd have a day with wind to suit such an activity, I picked one Monday in September and wrote "Fly Kites" down for our FHE activity.  The lesson would be about limits/rules and why they are important.

The Sunday evening before our family "Kite Flying" activity was to occur, a wild wind-storm blew through Ohio and arrived in our area of Pennsylvania the next day.  On Monday, we had THE PERFECT kite-flying weather.  It was sunny and beautiful and windy enough to fly kites all day with the kids...and they loved it!

Relief Society President Julie B. Beck has said that Mothers who know "plan for the future of their organization."  I truly believe that when we plan for these "organizations"- our families - and make spending quality time together a priority, the Lord blesses our efforts, and from time to time he even sends sunny, windy Mondays to make our plans take flight!

To learn more about how to begin holding Family Home Evening in your family click here.